Just imagine the possibilities: first-hand celeb gossip, nannies to watch the kids, catered poolside play dates … A mom can dream, can’t she? Aside from the obvious perks, there are a number of admirable famous moms we’d truly love to pal around with. Here’s a look at our fantasy celebrity play group:

Jennifer Garner

As if natural beauty Jen G didn’t scream “BFF material” as it was, she earned mega brownie points among moms when she recently cleared the air about her supposed “baby bump” on The Ellen DeGeneres Show: “I am not pregnant, but I have had three kids and there is a bump,” Garner said. “From now on, ladies, I will have a bump, and it will be my baby bump. It’s not going anywhere. Its name is Violet, Sam and Sera.” All five of them are welcome to join my play group any time.

Beyonce

Beyonce. (Photo: AP Photo/Mark Humphrey/File)

Imagine sharing potty training secrets with Queen Bey? Me neither. While a toddler might be the only thing we have in common (unfortunately there are no sequined corsets in this mom’s post-baby wardrobe), surely even Sasha Fierce could benefit from some mom talk — and comfortable clothing — while the kids zip around in miniature Ferraris. In return, we’d even take her up on an offer to host a multi-family vacation on she and Jay-Z’s private yacht.

Angelina Jolie

Actress Angelina Jolie. (Photo: AP Photo/Carlo Allegri/File)

If Angelina Jolie wasn’t Angelina Jolie, she’d be that poor, dishevelled mom you see pushing a shopping cart full of six kids in the grocery store. Either way, we’d be honoured to hang with such a commendable mom — even more so due to her humanitarianism, her impressive acting career, and her brave decision to undergo a preventive double mastectomy. However, she would have to agree to divulge many personal details about her husband Brad Pitt, to the point of TMI. Seriously, she’d have to — or she’d be out.

Kourtney Kardashian

Kourtney Kardashian. (Photo: Dan Hallman/Invision/AP)

Kourtney has such a natural approach to parenting that it’s almost hard to believe she’s a celeb. She eats what she wants while she’s pregnant, she stays in her jammies for a month after the baby is born, she breastfeeds for as long as she wants (14 and 16 months respectively for son Mason and daughter Penelope), and she feels guilty about going out sans children. We feel like we could just talk about normal mom stuff with Kourtney, whose third child is due next month. Oh, and this would also bring us that. much. closer. to viewing Kim’s behind in real life.

Tina Fey

Every play date needs comic relief — and Tina Fey is just the mom to make light of the many frustrating situations our kids put us in. She will not hesitate to mock her own children for the sake of a good laugh (see this clip from The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon). Plus, seeing as how their mom wrote Mean Girls, we can imagine her daughters Alice, 9, and Penelope, 3, are anything but.

Kristen Bell

Actress Kristen Bell. (Photo: Dan Steinberg/Inivision/AP, file)

While pregnant with she and hubby Dax Shepard’s daughter Lincoln (the two are now expecting their second child), the Veronica Mars star made the shocking admission that she — OMG! — didn’t feel a connection to the babe in her belly. “I love people the more I know them, and I didn’t know her. It could’ve been a water bottle in my belly, that’s about how connected I felt to her during my pregnancy.” Way to keep it real, mama.

Ashley Hebert Rosenbaum

She may fit a very loose definition of celebrity, but the former Bachelorette — who scored her hunky hubs J.P. on the ABC reality TV show — could surely use a support group as a very new mom (son Fordham is less than two months old). And, well, what group of trashy TV-loving moms wouldn’t appreciate the full inside scoop on The Bachelor/The Bachelorette and all of its steamy behind-the-scenes happenings? Exactly.

Penelope tops BabyNameWizard.com’s annual baby name buzz report, which forecasts the biggest up-and-coming names for the cradle crowd. Also making 2013’s list is Harper, for the second year in a row, along with boys’ names Camden and Archer.

Spearheaded by Laura Wattenberg, one of America’s top experts on infant nomenclature, the list has a reputation for nailing naming trends long before annual statistics are released. Unlike her other projects, however, this one isn’t based on computer-generated models and algorithms but rather a “congress of amateur experts:” Wattenberg’s readers.

“Nothing is as good as the collective wisdom of a couple hundred people who really pay attention,” said Wattenberg, pointing to the laser accuracy of last year’s list.

“They’ve done an amazing job as a group. These are definitely names I expect to see much more of.”

Runners-up include Charlotte, Aria, Evelyn and Violet for female children, and Henry – for the second consecutive year – for males. Most of these names are described by Wattenberg as a hybrid of celebrity influence and au courant naming style.

“Think about Penelope,” she said. “We’ve already done Chloe and Zoe and are running out of Greek ‘ee’ names, so it was a very natural next step.”

In the past two years alone, comedienne Tina Fey, fitness mogul Tracy Anderson and reality TV star Kourtney Kardashian have all named their daughters Penelope. Harper has similarly enjoyed a celebrity halo, with its popularity soaring since Victoria Beckham chose it for her little girl in 2011.

Camden is the name of Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo’s eight-month-old son. And Archer’s recent rise, Wattenberg says, is likely a reflection of its “crunchy, old tradesman-style” sound, which is experiencing a stylistic comeback.

These and other trends are covered in the third edition of Wattenberg’s The Baby Name Wizard, which hits stores in May. The book helps address what’s been called “outlier nomenclature,” wherein parents seek a name that’s at once different but same-sounding, unique but not peculiar.

This bears out in the stats, with the 50 most popular names having been given to 63 per cent of boys and 52 per cent of girls in the 1950s compared to just 35 per cent of boys and 24 per cent of girls in 2004.

Those differences also hold true when the name pool is narrowed: Of the 325 million U.S. children born in 1880 or later, investigators from San Diego State University found just nine per cent of boys born in 2007 were given a Top 10 name, compared with 32 per cent in 1955; for girls, only eight per cent had a top 10 name in 2007, versus 22 per cent in 1955.

“A lot of expectant parents will look at this (buzz report) and say, ‘Oh no!’ because they’ll see something they’d been thinking of for a baby,” said Wattenberg. “It’s always a little dismaying to find out your personal taste isn’t so personal. But at the same time, being in style is not a bad thing.”

NEW YORK — Kendall and Kylie Jenner are taking a cue from big sisters Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian — launching their own clothing line.

Kendall, 17, and Kylie, 15, teamed up with PacSun to put out clothes aimed at teen girls.

“We watched our sisters do their clothing line (Kardashian Kollection for Sears) — when the opportunity came to us, we jumped on it. We’ve always been interested in fashion and all that so it was great and worked out perfectly,” Kylie said in a recent interview.

The line has a California feel because the girls are from there.

Both girls model. Last week they walked in the annual Heart Truth Red Dress Fashion Show in New York with their mother, Kris. They insist they’re not competitive with one another.

“No, not at all. I think we’re both in two kind of separate areas,” said Kendall, who is more serious about a modeling career.

Kylie, on the other hand, would like to put out a line one day on her own. She also would like to try acting.

The teens are also taking a page from their older sisters by entering the publishing world. The Kardashian sisters have already released two books, a memoir and a novel. The Jenner sisters are writing a sci-fi, young adult book that’s due out later this year.

One way they’re not in a rush to emulate their sisters, though, is by starring in their own spin-off show.

“We’re so young. I want to keep some part of my childhood private. I’ve been doing this since I was 9 years old,” said Kylie.

]]>http://o.canada.com/entertainment/kendall-and-kylie-jenner-follow-in-their-big-sisters-footsteps-with-their-own-clothing-line/feed0Kendall and Kylie JennertheassociatedpresscanadaEarly Buzz: Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber, Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Biel — and more!http://o.canada.com/entertainment/early-buzz-selena-gomez-and-justin-bieber-jennifer-lawrence-jessica-biel-and-more
http://o.canada.com/entertainment/early-buzz-selena-gomez-and-justin-bieber-jennifer-lawrence-jessica-biel-and-more#commentsMon, 21 Jan 2013 11:00:31 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=185369]]>Selena Gomezis finally speaking — err, singing out about her break-up with the Biebs. The feisty songstress covered Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River” tune (a song about cheating), at a recent UNICEF concert where she told the crowd, “I’ve kind of been through a lot these past couple of months, and it’s been really interesting and fun at the same time – and weird and sad, but cool.”

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Gomez also covered her BFFs tune “I Knew You Were Trouble.” The singer recently told People that Taylor Swift have helped her out along the way.

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In case you missed it, Jennifer Lawrence was on Saturday Night Live this weekend and SLAMMED her fellow Oscar nominees.

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Jessica Biel brought a smile to a fan’s face at Sundance during an impromptu photo-shoot. According to People, the pair took multiple shots in a photo booth until they found the pic that was “just right.”

Kim Kardashiandropped a bombshell during an interview about the new season of Kourtney & Kim Take Miami. The preggo starlet told Us Weekly, “This season I really took a look back and I realized how much in everyone’s business I really was, and how nosy I was – to the point that I was causing people to get into…physical fights, crying, leaving, storming out…with the best intentions.”

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Leonardo DiCapriosays that he’s “worn out” from acting and will be taking a “long, long break.”

Britney Spears is back on the market, y’all. The songstress showed a little too much skin this past weekend, but judging by the other bits that we’ve seen of her — this one isn’t so bad.

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]]>http://o.canada.com/entertainment/early-buzz-selena-gomez-and-justin-bieber-jennifer-lawrence-jessica-biel-and-more/feed0Selena GomezmirandafurtadoKim Kardashian and Kanye West’s baby: Born into wedlock on reality TV?http://o.canada.com/entertainment/kim-kardashian-and-kanye-wests-baby-born-into-wedlock-on-reality-tv
http://o.canada.com/entertainment/kim-kardashian-and-kanye-wests-baby-born-into-wedlock-on-reality-tv#commentsWed, 02 Jan 2013 16:56:24 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=176144]]>Kim Kardashian probably won’t be ripping a screaming infant from her loins in a very special E! television event.

Maybe it’s a question of taste. Maybe it’s just because sister Kourtney beat her to it months ago. But according to TMZ, the child of Kardashian and Kanye West won’t be getting into the business we call show.

Not during baby-hood, anyway, so let’s rule that live TV birth out, and if for some bonkers reason you’re now disappointedly weeping into your Kardashian home Kollection duvet over this revelation, TLC is probably re-running an episode of A Baby Story right about now.

Friends of the couple shared the intel with TMZ, explaining that Kardashian and West want to “ensure real privacy” for their child. They don’t want the kid to appear on Keeping Up With the Kardashians — which was just renewed for three more seasons — its family of spin-offs, or any other reality show until, presumably, he or she reaches the age of consenting fame-ballery. (Junior’s sex is to be determined very, very soon, BTW.)

And who knows? Maybe one day, little Dondald Lamborghina KardashiWest will be free to ride her hover-bike to the mall, where she and bestie Blue Ivy can sip Orange Julius smoothies and buy out the Louis Vuitton undisturbed, like a couple of regular teens.

Or, maybe Ryan Seacrest will Tweet out the air date for the kid’s TV debut as soon as Kardashian reaches the second trimester.

Superstars are allowed to change their minds, after all. And if E! wants to broadcast three hours of uninterrupted gestation, live from Kim Kardashian’s Swarovski-lined womb, so be it.

In the meantime, the Kimye Kidlet is already getting plenty of exposure in its unborn bump-form: Kardashian hosted a New Year’s Eve party at Las Vegas club 1 Oak, for instance. (People Magazine was there to remark upon her unborn child’s growth, and let Kardashian publicly comment on her lack of morning sickness, et cetera.)

But however the child makes its debut, he or she will emerge into a world of tabloid drama, whether it’s televised or not.

For instance, mommy will be married when baby arrives, though not to Kanye West.

Kardashian’s due date is pegged for late June, RadarOnline reports, and even though that’s six months away — or “three marriages” in Kardashian years — she’ll still be legally wed to her ex, Kris Humphries, by the time she’s putting her (ample) back into it in the delivery room.

The former couple’s trial date still needs to be set, and according to RadarOnline, June is the earliest Humphries will be free to attend. (Humphries plays basketball for the Nets. If the team makes the play-offs, Radar notes he won’t be free ’til the end of June.)

Or, Kardashian and Humphries could just declare the marriage “fraudulent,” get an annulment and tidy this whole situation early — which is what Humphries is reportedly after. Kardashian, however, has already dismissed that option, and, as per this RadarOnline source: “Kim is refusing to cave to any of Kris’ demands. She has moved on with her life, and she won’t agree to an annulment on grounds that the marriage was fraudulent because it would cause catastrophic damage to her brand.”

For Baby Kimye’s sake, all this divorce trouble probably won’t matter — unless the court fees prevent mom and dad from inventing Hermes diaper service. But there’s one person who’s got a problem with Kardashian’s kid being born into wedlock.

OK, maybe two people. (Hi, mom!)

It’s the baby’s uncle to-be, Rob Kardashian.

“I’m so proud of my sisters, but I’ll be married before I have a baby,” Kardashian declared to the pilgrims gathered in fellowship for the CIROC Vodka New Year’s Eve countdown. (Unca Rob was hosting the event at STK Miami. Because if you passive-aggressively slam your sisters, and nobody is around to hear it, did you slut-shame them at all?)

Still, for the record, Rob is still very happy about the new addition to the family. “I’m so excited to be an uncle again!” he told RadarOnline.

]]>http://o.canada.com/entertainment/kim-kardashian-and-kanye-wests-baby-born-into-wedlock-on-reality-tv/feed0Kim Kardashian and Kanye WestleahdoseKim Kardashian is pregnant and about to get some junk in the fronthttp://o.canada.com/entertainment/kim-kardashian-is-pregnant-and-about-to-get-some-junk-in-the-front
http://o.canada.com/entertainment/kim-kardashian-is-pregnant-and-about-to-get-some-junk-in-the-front#commentsMon, 31 Dec 2012 16:27:06 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=175473]]>It’s true, the world’s most PR-loving couple, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, are expecting a bundle of (headline-making) joy.

As previously reported, West dropped the bombshell during his Atlantic City concert Sunday night in front of 5,000 complete strangers.

She wrote: “It’s true!! Kanye and I are expecting a baby. We feel so blessed and lucky and wish that in addition to both of our families, his mom and my dad could be here to celebrate this special time with us. Looking forward to great new beginnings in 2013 and to starting a family. Happy New Year!!! Xo”

Well, there you have it. The famous couple is not only going to be making headlines for every potential Kris Humphries run-in — but now how big Kim’s womb is compared to her bubble butt.

It looks like West wasn’t the only one who couldn’t wait to share the good news. Kim’s sister Kourtney also burst (on Twitter) with Kardashian baby-boom excitement. She wrote, “Been wanting to shout from the rooftops with joy and now I can! Another angel to welcome to our family. Overwhelmed with excitement!”

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — A kid for Kimye: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian are expecting their first child.

The rapper announced at a concert Sunday night that his girlfriend is pregnant. Kardashian was in the crowd at Revel Resort’s Ovation Hall with her mother, Kris Jenner, and West’s mentor and best friend, Jay-Z. West told the crowd of more than 5,000 in song form: “Now you having my baby.”

The crowd roared. And so did people on the Internet.

The news instantly went viral on Twitter and Facebook, with thousands posting and commenting on the expecting couple.

Most of the Kardashian clan also tweeted about the news, including Kim’s sisters. Kourtney Kardashian wrote: “Another angel to welcome to our family. Overwhelmed with excitement!”

West, 35, also told concertgoers to congratulate his “baby mom” and that this was the “most amazing thing.”

Representatives for West and Kardashian, 32, didn’t immediately respond to emails about the pregnancy.

The rapper and reality TV star went public in March.

Kardashian married NBA player Kris Humphries in August 2011 and their divorce is not finalized.

West’s Sunday-night show was his third consecutive performance at Revel. He took the stage for nearly two hours, performing hits like “Good Life,” “Jesus Walks” and “Clique” in an all-white ensemble with two bandmates.

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AP Writer Bianca Roach contributed to this report.

]]>http://o.canada.com/entertainment/kanye-west-announces-at-concert-that-girlfriend-kim-kardashian-is-pregnant/feed0121231_KimyetheassociatedpresscanadaKim Kardashian is ruining Kanye West: reporthttp://o.canada.com/entertainment/kim-kardashian-is-ruining-kanye-west
http://o.canada.com/entertainment/kim-kardashian-is-ruining-kanye-west#commentsTue, 18 Dec 2012 17:22:36 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=170463]]>It’s that time of year again — the time for the Kardashian klan to get the sparkliest garb and ham it up for the camera (ok, maybe that’s every day of the year — but this one’s for Christmas.)

The Kardashians have released their annual Christmas card for the masses and, while Kourtney’s baby daddy (Scott Disick) and Khloe’s hubby (Lamar Odom) are included, it looks like no number of public appearances in his-and-hers matching shoes is enough to get on the Kardashian Kristmas Kard because Kanye West is noticeably missing.

This season, the money-hungry family went for an all-white theme and, despite rocking their best attire, we can’t help but play a bizarre version of Where’s Waldo in which we try to figure out which family members are Photoshopped in. (Pssst! It’s Khloe!)

The youngest Kardashian sister spilled the beans on the family’s picture-perfect snap earlier this year. She told Ellen DeGeneres, “I have to be Photoshopped in.”

So, if Khloe and her hubby were Photoshopped in, where in the heck was Kim’s equally hungry for fame beau, West?

The Kardashian Klan hasn’t commented on West’s whereabouts, but one person — err, brief family member was there, Mercy, Kim’s departed kitten (given to her by West.)

Could there be trouble in their ultra-exclusive expensive paradise? Perhaps. The New York Daily News reports that since the rap star has hooked up with the busty brunette, his street cred (and ticket sales) have plummeted. A source told the paper, “His personal life is overpowering his music,” an industry insider said. “Every time he plays, people are wondering if Kim is going to be there. It’s not a good thing for him, especially if he wants to be taken seriously.”

Well, it looks like Kardashian star status may currently be shining brighter than her beau’s. According to the paper, West was asked to host New Year’s in Las Vegas and Miami — but only if he could bring Kardashian along on his arm. “Kanye was actually offended by the offers,” the source said.

“He has been meeting with top-level music executives seeking advice,” the source said about West resurrecting his career. “He’s not happy with the direction things have been going.”

]]>http://o.canada.com/entertainment/kim-kardashian-is-ruining-kanye-west/feed0121218_KardashianmirandafurtadoEarly buzz: Lindsay Lohan, American Idol feud, One Direction and morehttp://o.canada.com/entertainment/early-buzz-lindsay-lohan-american-idol-feud-one-direction-and-more
http://o.canada.com/entertainment/early-buzz-lindsay-lohan-american-idol-feud-one-direction-and-more#commentsTue, 27 Nov 2012 05:01:19 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=157449]]>Lindsay Lohan is sad that everyone had so much fun making a drinking game out of Liz & Dick. (It’s less clear how she’s feeling about its “disappointing ratings.”)

But there’s hope, LiLo! Variety reports that there will be a sequel to her (other) made-for-TV movie, Life Size — a.k.a. that crazy Disney flick where crazy Tyra Banks acts crazier than usual as a crazy Barbie Doll who’s brought to crazy life. Banks is on board. Could there be a role for Lohan? SHINE BRIGHT, LILO! BE A STAR!

Any Peeta-files out there? The Hunger Games‘ Josh Hutcherson did an interview with MTV about upcoming sequel Catching Fire. Here’s what he had to say about filming the scene where Peeta proposes to Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence): “Actually, the very first time I went to get down on one knee my pants ripped right down the crotch. The worst thing that could happen when you’re proposing to somebody is that your pants rip right down the crotch, and that’s what happened to Peeta. So… he’s doomed. He’s doomed. Poor guy, he just can’t catch a break.”

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Why did Carly Rae Jepsen scrap this video for “Curiosity?” (Was she afraid it’d out her as a huge Being Erica fan?)

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There’s a new preview of 50 Cent‘s “My Life,” his music video with Eminem and The Voice’s Adam Levine.

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“Dirty Love” is what happens when you let Ke$ha and Iggy Pop record together. (And if you like what you hear, you can preview Warrior, Ke$ha’s new album, on iTunes.)

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Brad Pitt forgot to be thankful for being an internationally famous superstar because he was shooting a movie in London last weekend, where they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving.

Downton Abbey will get a fourth season, but according to reports, Dan “Matthew Crawley” Stevens has yet to sign on. Is this the end of Matthew and Mary? (Will this give the Dowager Countess more screentime?!)

Khloe Kardashian is reportedly under investigation by the FBI for suspicious white powder.

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Megan Fox had a baby? Are we sure of this? The actress is spotted looking like a skinny minnie while out and about two months after giving birth.

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Ariel Winter is still dealing with her parent issues, but was a no-show in court today.

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Not that anyone cares about Teen Mom 2 stars anymore, but if you’re one of the few, you’ll be glad to hear that Jenelle Evans is engaged…after only two months! Surprise!

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]]>http://o.canada.com/entertainment/early-buzz-kourtney-kardashian-demi-moore-lindsay-lohan-and-more/feed0121120_KardashianmirandafurtadoKourtney Kardashian gave birth on TV Sunday nighthttp://o.canada.com/entertainment/kourtney-kardashian-pulled-a-baby-out-of-her-vagina-on-tv-sunday-night
http://o.canada.com/entertainment/kourtney-kardashian-pulled-a-baby-out-of-her-vagina-on-tv-sunday-night#commentsMon, 17 Sep 2012 15:47:05 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=111665]]>They may seem like malfunctioning fem-bots, piles of hair extensions and Botox programmed to Tweet and design handbags, but every Kardashian comes into the world like the rest of us: shoved through a birth canal, shrieking and covered with goo. If you’re a Kardashian, though, every second of that glorious process might just be broadcast on national television. And Sunday night, the world witnessed just that.

Kourtney Kardashian gave birth to daughter Penelope Scotland Disick in July. Sept. 16, E! broadcast the baby being yanked from her mother’s loins as part of the Keeping Up With the Kardashians season finale. (Kourtney, FYI, was the one doing the yanking. A technique she employed during the birth of son, Mason, so you know.)

For pointers, please refer to the (graphic) image below:

Penelope’s Us Weekly cover wasn’t enough of a debut, apparently. And Keeping Up With the Kardashians has just secured itself a spot in the health classrooms of North American high schools for generations to come.

And while there’s nothing more natural than giving birth with your family — and Kanye West and a crew of E! Network cameras — there for support, you, like us, might not have wanted to start your Monday with a visual reminder of how Kardashians are made.

As such, another bit of breaking Kardashian trivia for you. Kim Kardashian bought herself a kitten. It is small and fluffy and white and named after a Kanye West song (“Mercy”). And bless her heart, Kimmy’s been posting so many photos of the furball to Instagram that we can all just gawk at them until our minds go numb, our lady-parts cease clenching and we once more think, “Huh, maybe I WILL watch TLC’s A Baby Story over breakfast today.”